1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a dosage sealing, monitoring and dispensing assembly including removable cartridges from which a daily dosage of vitamins, medicines, or the like, can be automatically dispensed to a user over a predetermined length of time.
2. Prior Art
As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, many medicines, drugs, vitamins, and the like are loosely packaged within a container. Once the container is opened, these characteristically hydroscopic dosage units frequently absorb moisture so as to either stick together or spoil. Moreover, relatively large quantities of dosage units are typically supplied in each container. Consequently, a user sometimes fails to consume all of the units before the remaining contents of the container spoil due to age, water absorption or mishandling. As a consequence of the foregoing, many dosage units are uneconomically wasted, such that a fresh supply of dosage units is often unavailable. What is even more, the user has no easy way to keep track of and verify the number of dosage units consumed or remaining. This may pose a significant problem when a predetermined number of such units must be consumed to prevent an under or overdose according to medical requirements.
Because of recent events, most containers in which dosage units are packaged are now attempted to be made either child and/or tamper-proof. Such additional safeguards are known to increase the cost per dosage unit. In addition, many individuals, particularly the elderly, find it increasingly difficult to remove the top from a container which has been made child-resistant. Thus, these individuals may go without their daily dosage of a medically required drug or medicine.